When your published SWF files play on computers across the Internet, there is no guarantee that the fonts you used are available on those machines. To ensure that your text maintains the appearance you intended, you can embed entire fonts or specific subsets of characters from a font. By embedding the characters in your published SWF file, you make the font available to the SWF file regardless of the computer that plays the file. Once a font is embedded, you can use it anywhere in your published SWF file.
Beginning with Flash Professional CS5, Flash automatically embeds all characters used by any text objects that contain text. Creating an embedded font symbol yourself allows your text objects to use additional characters, such as when accepting user input at runtime or when editing text with ActionScript. Embedded fonts are not necessary for text objects that have the Anti-alias property set to Use Device Fonts. You specify which fonts you want embedded in your FLA file, and Flash embeds the fonts when you publish a SWF file.
There are 3 common situations in which to ensure correct text appearance by embedding fonts in a SWF file:
The Font Embedding dialog box allows you to:
- Manage all embedded fonts in one place.
- Create font symbols for each embedded font.
- Select custom ranges of embedded characters for a font as well as pre-defined ranges.
- Work with both Text Layout Framework (TLF) text and Classic text in the same file and use embedded fonts with each.
- Continue to work with Flash Professional CS4 and earlier FLA files that contain fonts embedded with the older method that associated the embedded characters with a specific text object. When you open an older FLA file, Flash Professional CS5 and later allow you to edit these older embedded fonts with the Font Embedding dialog box.
To embed characters from a font in a SWF file:
- With your FLA file open in Flash, open the Font Embedding dialog box by doing one of the following:
- Choose Text > Font Embedding.
- From the Library panel options menu, choose Add Font.
- Right-click in empty space in the Library panel tree view, and choose New Font.
- In the Text Property inspector, click on the Embed button.
- If your font is not already selected in the Font Embedding dialog box, click the Add (+) button to add a new embedded font to your FLA file.
When you open the Font Embedding dialog box from the Library or the Text Property inspector, a font item appears automatically in the dialog box.
- In the Options tab, select the Family and Style of the font you want to embed.
If you opened the Font Embedding dialog box from the Text Property inspector or from the Library panel, the font used by the current selection appears automatically in the dialog box.
- In the Character Ranges section, select the character ranges you want to embed. The more characters you embed, the larger your published SWF file will be.
- If you want to embed any additional specific characters, enter them in the “Also include these characters” field.
- To enable the embedded font symbol to be accessed with ActionScript code, select Export for ActionScript in the ActionScript tab.
- If you selected Export for ActionScript, select an outline format also. For TLF text containers, select TLF (DF4) as the Outline Format. For Classic text containers, select Classic (DF3).
You must create separate embedded font symbols for use in TLF and Classic text containers. The TLF (DF4) outline format is not available for PostScript Type 1 fonts. TLF (DF4) requires Flash Player version 10 or later.
- If you want to use the font symbol as a shared asset, select options in the Sharing section of the ActionScript tab. For more information about using shared assets, see Sharing library assets.
To edit the parameters of an embedded font symbol:
- Do one of the following:
- Right-click the font symbol in the Library and choose Properties.
- Select a text container on the Stage and click the Embed button in the Character section of the Property inspector.
- Select the font symbol in the Library and choose Edit Properties from the panel options menu.
- Double-click the icon of the font symbol in the Library.
- Choose Text > Font Embedding, and then select the font symbol you want to edit in the tree view on the left of the dialog.
- Make changes in the Font Embedding dialog box and click OK.
The tree view in the Font Embedding dialog box displays all font symbols in the current FLA file, organized by font family. You can edit any or all of the fonts while the dialog is open, and the changes will be committed when you press the OK button.
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional introduces many new and changed elements in the workspace that improve the way you work with Flash. It also features new tools you can use to create exciting new applications, or integrate with other components of Adobe Creative Suite 3.
This article discusses the new features in Flash CS3 Professional and how they compare to similar features in Flash 8, or how they have changed. Therefore, it’s written with the assumption that you’re already somewhat familiar with Flash. If you are a Flashthusiast ready to update to Flash CS3, read on. You will learn about the changes you need to know about when starting out with the latest version of Flash, whether you want to draw with the enhanced Pen tool or write ActionScript™ 3.0 code. Specifically, this article covers:
* Changes made to the Flash workspace, such as new ways to manipulate panels and great new interface features. You also learn how to optimize your workspace to make working with Flash easier.
* New features in the Flash authoring tool, such as control over the color of your bounding boxes, new copy-and-paste functionality, and changes to 9-slice scaling.
* Improvements made to file import, such as support for PSD and AI files. You also learn about new ways to integrate products, such as the enhanced workflow between Flash and Adobe® Device Central CS3.
* Improvements to the drawing tools in Flash, such as enhancements to the Pen tool, and the brand new primitive drawing tools that let you create shapes easier.
* Improvements to the video components and cue points in Flash and Flash Video Encoder.
* The new ActionScript 3.0 components, including how they compare to the V2 Components found in Flash 8. You will also see a side-by-side comparison of how to create the same components application in ActionScript 2.0 and ActionScript 3.0.
* Improvements to the debugger and coding tools in Flash, and changes to ActionScript. You will find a side-by-side comparison of ActionScript 2.0 code and ActionScript 3.0 code. You’ll also learn about, and how to use, a document class in an ActionScript 3.0 application.
Adobe is aware of a recently published security issue in Flash CS3 Professional, Flash Professional 8 and Flash Basic 8 that could potentially cause code execution. This issue does not affect any version of Flash Player. An attacker would need to convince a user to open a malicious FLA file to successfully exploit the issue.
An attacker would need to convince a user to open a malicious FLA file to successfully exploit the issue. Adobe recommends that developers exercise caution when receiving unsolicited or suspicious FLA files. This issue does not affect the Mac versions of Flash Professional and Flash Basic.
FLA is the private file format of Flash Professional and Flash Basic. Flash Player and browsers can not interpret FLA files, so remote exploitation is not possible, and this issue does not affect any version of Flash Player. It is uncommon to find FLA files on web sites other than well-known web sites that include downloadable FLA files as tutorials for Flash users. FLA files can not be interpreted or viewed natively by Operating Systems such as Windows or Mac OS. Adobe will be fixing this issue in the next major release of Flash Professional.
Adobe announced a beta of Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5 including a Packager for iPhone would be made available on Adobe Labs. Adobe has changed plans regarding this beta and no longer releasing a public beta of Flash Professional CS5. This change of plan was made in order to ensure the earliest possible delivery of the final software to the large number of designers and developers interested in Flash Professional CS5 and the included Packager for iPhone.
What’s coming in Flash Professional CS5
Some of the new features include:
* Packager for iPhone — Publish ActionScript 3® projects in Adobe Flash Professional to run as applications for iPhone. Learn more.
* New text capabilities via the Text Layout Framework (TLF) — Get unprecedented text control and creativity with projects created in Flash. Advanced styling and layout, including right to left text, columns, and threaded text blocks, let you work with text in Flash like never before.
* XML based FLA files — Manage and modify project assets using source control systems and enable teams to easily collaborate on files.
* Code Snippets panel — Choose prebuilt code that can be injected into projects to increase interactivity and also reduce the ActionScript 3 learning curve.
* Flash Builder™ integration — Use Adobe Flash Builder software as your ActionScript editor within projects in Flash.
* Improved ActionScript editor — Improve productivity with custom class code hinting and completion.
Adobe® Flash® Professional CS5 will include a Packager for iPhone that will let you publish ActionScript 3 projects to run as native applications for iPhone. These applications can be delivered to iPhone users through the Apple App Store.
When will Adobe Flash Platform tooling support building applications for iPhone?
Flash Professional CS5 will include the Packager for iPhone when it ships.
In October 2009, at Adobe MAX, Adobe announced that this capability would be included in a public beta of Flash Professional CS5. In order to ensure the earliest possible delivery of the final version of Flash Professional CS5 with the included Packager for iPhone, Adobe changed plans and is no longer making the beta of Flash Professional CS5 available publicly. Flash Professional CS5 is currently in private beta. For more information on this go to http://www.adobe.com/go/fpbu.
If you have an existing ActionScript 3 project that would be appropriate for delivery on the iPhone, please let us know at iphone-prerelease@adobe.com.
How does the Packager for iPhone included with Flash Professional help developers?
The Packager for iPhone allows developers to use Flash technologies to develop content for iPhone and iPod touch, devices that were previously closed to them. Developers can write new code or reuse existing web content to build applications for iPhone. Because the source code and assets are reusable across the Flash Platform runtimes,—Adobe AIR and Flash Player—it also gives developers a way to more easily target other mobile and desktop environments.
How is this different from Adobe Flash Player 10 coming to iPhone? Will iPhone users be able to view web content built with Flash technology in the iPhone browser?
The new support for iPhone applications included in Flash Professional CS5 will not allow iPhone users to browse web content built with Flash technology on iPhone, but it may allow developers to repackage existing web content as applications for iPhone if they choose to do so.
Flash Player uses a just-in-time compiler and virtual machine within a browser plug-in to play back content on websites. Those technologies are not allowed on the iPhone at this time, so a Flash Player for iPhone is not being made available today.
Flash Professional CS5 will include a Packager for iPhone that will enable developers to build applications for iPhone that are then installed as native applications. Users will be able to access the apps after downloading them from Apple’s App Store and installing them on iPhone or iPod touch.